Storm Lake man gets 20 years for firearm conviction

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) - United States Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth announced today an armed career criminal who a jury convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm was sentencedyesterday to 20 years in federal prison.

Tarone Jones, 35, of Storm Lake, Iowa, received the prison term after a jury found him guilty on August 7, 2008, of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Before committing this federal offense, Jones had committed four state felony crimes of violence (two previous crimes of armed robbery and two previous crimes of assault and battery of a police officer). Because of this violent criminal history, Jones was subject to increased penalties for his federal conviction.

Evidence at trial showed Jones quarreled with another man in Jones' apartment on August 10, 2007. The argument ended when the second man stole Jones' sawed-off shotgun and fled the apartment. Jones retrieved a semi-automatic pistol and talked of chasing the other man into the street with the gun. Instead, Jones put the handgun back in his bedroom, armed himself with a knife, and pursued the gun thief.

Jones was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Jones was sentenced to 240 months' imprisonment as an Armed Career Criminal. He must pay a $100 special assessment, and he must serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Jones is being held in the United States Marshal's custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state, and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Storm Lake Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.